Burnham's doomsday guide descends into farce as he is forced to play down Rayner's joke about stockpiling white wine... and minister quips he has plenty of coffee

Andy Burnham's doomsday preparation campaign was at risk of descending into farce today as he was forced to play down Angela Rayner's joke about stockpiling white wine.

The PM said alcohol should not be 'top of the list' and people would need to keep a 'clear head' as he was challenged on the Housing Secretary's previous light-hearted approach to emergency warnings. 

The rebuttal came as Treasury minister James Murray quipped that the only thing he keeps large stores of at home is coffee.

The flippant remarks contrast with the grim survivalist checklist in the new official 'Be Ready' guidance for emergencies - including enough food and water for three days and cash in case the electronic payments system collapses.

A wind-up or battery radio, loo roll and baby food are also advised in the print-and-keep document.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said yesterday that the guidance would help people brace for events such as wildfires, flooding and cyber attacks. Senior officials and military figures have even been flagging the risk of a strike by Russia. 

However, critics accused the Government of giving 'bossy lectures' and 'encouraging panic' while failing to ramp up spending on Britain's defence. 

At Labour conference last month, Ms Rayner was asked what she would pack in a so-called  'disaster bag' for emergencies.

Ms Rayner replied: 'Mascara, concealer... I don't know, a bottle of sauvignon blanc. 

'A tin of baked beans because you've got to have some baked beans. I like a good tin of custard as well.

'So I think that will keep me going for a while.'

But quizzed today if wine would also be part of his emergency box, Mr Burnham said: 'I'm not sure that that's the top of the list in terms of the advice that we're giving to the public.

'You need to have a clear head when it comes to a challenging situation.

'So yeah, some tins of food, some bottled water. But I'm sure people are allowed a glass or two as well to get them through a difficult situation,' he added.

Mr Burnham was chairing a summit on wildfire dangers alongside Ms Rayner in Liverpool - on a day when large parts of the country are being drenched by the first named storm of the year.   

Touring broadcast studios this morning, Mr Murray appeared to play down the significance of the guidance, insisting households did not have to buy all the things on the checklist.

'I'm going to have a look at what's on the government website and work out what's right for me, because I think that's kind of what everyone should do,' he told Times Radio. 

'This is not about the government sending out a shopping list to everyone in the country.' 

Confronted with Ms Rayner's previous joke, Mr Murray said he did not 'have much need for mascara'.  

'To be honest I probably stockpile coffee at home. That's the one thing I never run out of,' he added.

'I had some of that earlier this morning.'

Mr Murray repeated his line about coffee when he was challenged whether he had stockpiled anything.

'I've got quite a lot of coffee in my house,' he said. 

He added: 'I'm not going to pretend I've followed all that advice myself yet.'

Mr Murray insisted the Government was trying to have a 'sensible conversation', arguing that other countries such as France, Ireland and the Netherlands issue similar guidance.

The minister denied the suggestion it's 'advice for the middle class' who can afford to stockpile:

'It's advice for people to work out what they can do based on their resources, on what their needs are and how they want to approach it. This is not about the government telling people what to do. It's about making sure everyone's got the right information and is thinking about it ahead of time.'

Tory frontbencher Neil O'Brien told the Daily Mail: 'Given that the government is failing to fund defence properly and has failed to stop dangerous people arriving on small boats, ministers might want to start focussing on the big stuff rather than ensuring they can always lay their hands on a flat white.'

Mr Streeting insisted yesterday that 'everyone needs to do their bit' on emergency preparation - with a radio and social media campaign set to spread the message in the coming weeks. 

However, the Government seems to have taken a very low-key approach to the launch, activating the site without fanfare months after Keir Starmer's administration signalled the campaign was coming.

Mr Streeting's comments came at a launch for an entirely different Government announcement.